Tales Post 19
Tales Post 19 takes place upon Great Eiyill, an Imperium battlestation, where Ameryl Hypericum (Hydriaverse) has begun construction of a second God-Killer weapon, which utilises anti-power to nullify any powerful beings in its vicinity. Kleo the Summermaid is surprised to see a second being made and Ameryl reveals that she discovered the origins of the anti-power to stem not from Earth, as previously believed, but from the Witch-Wardens of the Myste Sector. She also reveals to Kleo that she is not the original Ameryl Hypericum, as she is now trapped within the Time-Lock Event along with Kleo's father the Highemperor. Ameryl appears to threaten Kleo's life but then suddenly kills Astrid Kal'Vassemp, who was hiding in the shadows. Kleo is distraught at her sister's death but she is revealed to be the Scarlet Shade and in league with the Indigo Shade. Ameryl just saved Kleo's life. A fleet, formed by the G8, consisting of many factions, including the High Empire, the Greyarchy and the newly formed First Order, appeared. Their mutual goal is the destruction of the God-Killer, a weapon of mass destruction, and the arrest of Ameryl for murdering Kleo. As Kleo is still alive and Astrid's plot now failed, Navitatex Qemik is still determined to see the God-Killer destroyed but Ameryl ignitiates the weapon, revealing it to be full armed and operational. Shades of an Empire Turning of Tables ''Ameryl'''' stands upon the observation deck of the spacefortress, Great Eiyill, orbiting Tress. From here she can see the gigantic arms of the station where workers scrambled along with droids to construct one of the most potent machines ever conceived - the God-Killer. The concept is a simple one - negate any powers beyond that of a human. Magic, superpowers, meta-powers and, especially, godly powers. Ameryl herself would be consumed by the device if not inside it. The interior of the God-Killer would actually not exist physically but be kept in an alternate, pocket dimension. Safe from the affects of the anti-power.'' The machine would handily deal with the majority of the greatest threats to The Imperium. Gods, like the cosmic deities of the NeSiverse, would be as nothing when the machine is activated. The High Empire, in all its grandstanding and 'more powerful than thou' attitude, would be brought to its knees. The mighty mages of the galaxy would be rendered inert. If anything, the guy sitting on the couch watching television would be elevated to the greatest threat The Imperium could face! Kleo the Summermaid enters the room. She seems unhappy but Ameryl doesn't care to ask why. Before Ameryl can address the daughter of Highemperor Kleo is at the window with her face mushed up against the glass. Kleo: "Is-is that--!?" Ameryl: "It is." Kleo: "Another one!? How!? I thought you used the last of the anti-power in the last one!?" Ameryl: "We did. So I traced the source. Where did that god-killing weapon even come from? Some mysterious bloke in a hood just hands it over?" Kleo: "I suppose you had one of the Watchers find out for you?" Ameryl looks at Kleo, as though taking an interest in the girl for the first time. Ameryl: "You're more informed on The Imperium than I would have expected, Kleo. That makes me suspicious..." Kleo: "Astrid likes to talk her ideas through with me..." Ameryl: "That I can believe. Your sister is a tricky one... she's actually the reason I asked you to come here." Kleo swells with pride and determination. Kleo: "I won't spy on her for you, Lady Ameryl! Even if you are the queen of my people. I can't do that. She's my sister." Ameryl smiles and turns away. Ameryl: "No need. Like you said, I have Watchers." Ameryl glances down at an indicator panel that starts to flash. Ameryl: "Looks like trouble is headed our way. I suppose it was impossible to keep the construction of a second God-Killer under wraps, wasn't it? After the first one, everyone must have been watching us for signs of a new one." She then looks up at Kleo. Ameryl: "Either that or they know how much danger you are in, little Summermaid." Kleo is instantly alert as Ameryl steps towards her. Kleo instinctively retreats, backing off. Kleo: "What do you mean? Why--?" Ameryl: "Your biggest mistake was to think that I am the Ameryl you know and love. I am not." She runs a hand through her loose pink hair before she flips it over her shoulder. She smiles sinisterly as she continues to advance on Kleo. Poor Kleo panics. Unlike most of her sisters, Kleo has no special powers to defend herself with. Ameryl raises a hand and there, on her finger, is a ring. Just like the anti-power ring that the Left Arm Ameryl once had. The ring she met her end with when she went to confront Highemperor. Ameryl of the Right had fashioned her own. Ameryl: "To get this I ventured to Earth, where the anti-power originated. Following the trail took me through the depths of the world's history; from Jim Seven, the world's devil, to Count Desmond to the knights of England, through China and all the way back to Atlantis. It was only then I realised I was searching in the wrong place. It was quite frustrating, you know?" Kleo winds up pinned against the wall and Ameryl puts her arms either side of the the slightly shorter girl, palms pressed against the cold wall. She grins and Kleo can see madness in Ameryl's eyes. Kleo: "Why are you... being so scary?" Ameryl: "Sorry. I suppose I'm rambling a bit. Your queen used to hate that about me. But still, I made her into the woman she became. Without me she would never have been the Left Arm. You know, I was always worried she didn't have the balls to do what needed to be done. In the end she turned out more capable than I'd ever have thought! Good for her. Shame she was still too attached to that lout, Highemperor. She should have taken what she needed from him and moved on. Like I did." Kleo: "You knew my father?" Ameryl: "Sure! Thanks to him I was able to overthrow my sister, Imeryn and then my parents. I had the three of them publicly executed after that. Then all of their supporters had to be executed. Rebellions stamped out. By the end of it all, The Imperium battered my forces everywhere. But wouldn't you know it, The Imperium knows talent when they see it! I took the chance. Joined them. And now I own it." She scratches her chin in mock thought. Ameryl: "But it seems you didn't know about Ameryl's death. I suppose you weren't told about your father either?" Kleo: "You..." Ameryl: "Dead and gone. The lot of them. Almost the entire High Empire is gone. What's left of them... is on the way here now." Kleo: "My fath-- they're coming to save me? You said I'm in danger? Why? Why would you want to hurt me? What did I ever do to you!?" Ameryl: "Well, if I killed you it's not like anyone in the High Empire could actually stop me anymore. Your father is nothing but a memory." Ameryl mocks a tear down her face with her finger. Ameryl: "Are you going to cry?" Kleo does. Ameryl: "Oh, such a lost little lamb. But the real question is this. Why didn't your sister tell you?" Kleo: "Wh-what?" Ameryl: "Either she wanted to spare you... or she didn't see any reason to. Because she knew you'd be dead soon." Ameryl raises her hand in a fist and the ring glows with its anti-power. Ameryl, protected by the veil of anti-power that exudes from the ring and surrounds her person, stares at it as though it was the most beautiful thing she has ever laid eyes on. Ameryl: "When I found out who the original creators of the antipower were I could have kicked myself. There's really only one group of people do dedicated to the eradication of powerful beings, isn't there? The Witch-Wardens of the Myste Sector. I mean honestly, how much of a dunce have we all been, eh?" Kleo then squeals in fright and starts to beg for her life. Ameryl stares down at her and rolls her eyes. Ameryl: "Oh, relax, you stupid girl. I'm not going to hurt you. You have no powers, this ring is useless on you." Kleo: "It--it is? You're not? But you said--" Ameryl: "You're in danger. Yes. Your sister had us all conned. Didn't you Astrid?" She turns suddenly and whips her hand out. The blast of anti-power swipes across the room into the shadows. Astrid, who had evidently been hiding in the corner of the room under an invisibility guise created by the lantern she carries, cries out in sudden shock and is then... silenced forever. Kleo screams in horror. Kleo: "Aaaastrid!!! Nooooo!" Ameryl looks casually down at her fingers as the light of the ring dims. Ameryl: "You know, I think I just chipped a nail." Kleo runs over to the spot that her beloved sister had just been extinguished. Crying she falls to her knees. Ameryl: "You shouldn't be running over there, you know? If she somehow survived that she'd have killed you in an instant." Kleo turns her head to stare at Ameryl with a mixture of confusion and anger. Ameryl: "She was working with Indigo Shade this whole time. She was the Scarlet Shade." Kleo's face turns into a sneer. Kleo: "No! Never! My sister--" Gadreel: "I'm sorry, Kleo, but it's true." Gadreel, the Watcher, has just stepped into the room from the corridor beyond. He looks at Kleo with some sympathy before turning to Ameryl. Gadreel: "To make it worse she already relayed a message to the High Empire that we killed Kleo. I wasn't in time to stop it. And they know about the reconstruction of the God-Killer. They're inbound with absolute intention to destroy the weapon and this space fortress." Kleo: "She said that?" Ameryl: "I'd like to see them try. They've already lost. No Highemperor. No Stronghold of Powerplayers. No Multiversal empire to back them up." Gadreel: "Still, it means we're doing exactly what the Shades want us to do. Finish off the last vestiges of the High Empire. If it weren't for those... uh... wives of Highemperor seeking our protection, we may never have known what the Shades were up to. Don't we have a duty to resolve this without wiping them out?" Ameryl groans and pouts at him like a spoilt child. Ameryl: "You always have to ruin my fun, Gadreel. Still, you've definitely helped me over the years. Brought me the other Ameryl and got her into shape. Helped me track down the anti-power. And you always turn out to be right in the end. So I guess I'll go with your thoughts on this one. Problem is, it's not just the High Empire we have to deal with, is it?" Gadreel: "It isn't?" Ameryl: "You are not the only spy I have on my payroll, you know?" Outside the window ships are now bursting into real space. The High Imperial battlecruisers are the most obvious with their incredibly long physique. But with them are others. The sleek two-section ships of the drow, the wooden ships of the Jupiterian Republic, the Imperial wedges too and even saucer-shaped ships from the recently invading Greyarchy. Other ships Ameryl doesn't recognise by sight but it seems like most of the galaxy's gangs have showed up. Kleo: "How could... all of this be happening?" Kleo sits and sobs by herself. Ameryl: "I'm surprised more didn't show up to be honest. I know there's some battle going on at Earth thanks to some renegade Jupiterians. I guess the Alliance is off taking part in that but I would have thought the Imperials would be there too, taking advantage of the situation?" Gadreel swipes his hand and a holo-screen appears. Gadreel: "The Imperial ships aren't Imperial. They're from territory controlled by Warlord Sue'san Dienhand." Ameryl: "Sounds like someone is looking to draw attention to herself. I guess if the Empire crumbles in its battle at Earth now... there needs to be someone to fill that void, am I right?" Gadreel: "Seems so! She's calling her cadre the First Order." Kleo: "You--you have a message." Ameryl turns to see Kleo has appeared at her side and is pointing to the red light on the console panel that is blinking again. Ameryl cocks her head. Ameryl: "Thank you Kleo. Maybe you shoud go and join your... what do you call the many wives of your father?" Kleo: "Wives of my father." Ameryl: "Right then." Gadreel: "I'll take you." Ameryl flips the message on, not caring if Kleo and Gadreel are still in the room. The message is audio only. Voice: "By order of the G8 Summit The Imperium is ordered to cease construction of the doomsday weapon the God-Killer and submit the governor of the spacefortress Great Eiyill for the warcrime of murdering Princess Kleo." Ameryl snaps her finger, causing Kleo to jump. Ameryl: "Before you go, Kleo dear, please tell the fool talking to me that you are not dead nor in danger of being dead." Kleo patters back over to Ameryl while the Right Arm of The Imperium frowns at Gadreel. Ameryl: "What is he talking about?" Gadreel: "Sorry, yes. Turns out there was some vote on in that politics station place. I honestly didn't think they'd actually take any real action on it. I guess these political debates are more important than we'd given them credit for. Only Ambassador Jacquelle voted that we should be allowed to keep the God-Killer. The other seven voted against us." Ameryl puts her hands on her hips and shakes her head as though they were being interfering, nosy neighbours. Ameryl: "This is why we can't have nice things." Kleo doesn't like this Ameryl at all. She doesn't trust her either. Kleo looks at the woman for a pause before speaking to the console. Kleo: "I am alive and well, Navitatex Qemik. Thank you but we were all betrayed by my sister. She was the Scarlet Shade and in league with Indigo Shade. She's been... dealt with." There's a very long pause. It's probable that Kleo's voice is being sent through a computer system to analyse its authenticity. Finally Navitatex Qemik, as Kleo identified him, responds; Navitatex Qemik: "It's good that you are well, Princess, but these are darker days if what you say is true." Kleo: "It is true. And I only just learnt of my father. Navitatex Qemik. You must destroy this God-Killer immediately. The Imperium cann--" Ameryl slaps Kleo and then, using magic, flings the girl across the room. The communication is cut in an instant and Ameryl shrugs helplessly at Gadreel. Ameryl: "Well, what can I say? I tried to do it your way but they've decided to do this the hard way." She turns and opens the communication again as the opposing ships all start to move in on the spacefortress. Ameryl: "I'm sorry it has come to this. Now you shall witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational weapon!" She quickly snaps her hand up and uses her powers to activate the God-Killer herself. Within the machine the anti-power flares up and a beam streaks out and collides with one of the drow ships. The powerful battleship is taken down in an instant and she watches as the remaining fleet suddenly panics and enters evasive manoeuvrers.